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When Mark Walter purchased the majority ownership of the Lakers last year, expectations for the franchise’s short- and long-term future soared.
After being primarily owned by the Buss family – first Dr. Jerry Buss and then his children, led by Jeanie Buss – for 46 years, which was the longest majority ownership tenure in the NBA, the Lakers were entering a dawn of a new era.
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The Lakers, the league’s glamour franchises, were going from a mom-and-pop operation to a more traditional, corporate infrastructure under Walter.
And Lakers fans didn’t need to look far to see the success that could be accomplished with Walter leading the franchise.
Mark Walter, chairman and controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, acknowledges a fan prior to a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Chicago. AP Photo/Melissa Tamez
Mark Walter sits courtside during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 118-116 win over the San Antonio Spurs on November 5, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. Getty Images
The Dodgers, who Walter has been the majority owner of since 2012, have been one of the most successful MLB franchises in the last 14 years: Thirteen consecutive playoff appearances; 12 of the last 13 NL West division titles; five World Series appearances in the last nine years; three World Series titles in the last six years, including being the reigning back-to-back champs.
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Even with the understanding that Walter’s deep pockets wouldn’t impact the Lakers’ payroll for players in the same way it did for the Dodgers, there was optimism that modernizing and restructuring the Lakers in other ways – such as building out the franchise’s front office and investments in the infrastructure – would pay divendends.
Mark Walter and Jeanie Buss talk as the Lakers play the Chicago Bulls at Crypto.com Arena on March 12, 2026. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The Lakers made the type of expected progress in those areas over the last year.
But Walter selling the majority ownership of the Lakers to businessman Josh Kushner and ex-Disney executive Bob Iger brought the end to an Walter-ownership era that was…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mark-walter-lakers-sale-memorialized-133000170.html
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Publish date : 2026-08-16 13:30:00
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